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Ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 opener between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad , former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has predicted that the elusive 300-run mark could finally be breached this season.Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin pointed to a combination of batting-friendly pitches, explosive line-ups and relatively underpowered bowling attacks as the perfect recipe for a record-breaking total.“Mission 300 is truly on. This time, I have a feeling from within that the 300-run mark will be crossed. I've been looking at some of the batting line-ups, some of the bowling line-ups are also not upto the mark. So, if the wickets are good, then there are chances of 300 being scored,” he said.The opening clash in Bengaluru features two of the most destructive batting units in the tournament, led by stars like Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma.Their last meeting at the venue produced an all-time IPL classic, with Hyderabad posting a record 287/3. Bengaluru responded with a valiant 262/7, powered by a 28-ball 62 from skipper Faf du Plessis and a blistering 35-ball 83 from Dinesh Karthik after being reduced to 122/5.The IPL’s evolution into a batting-dominated spectacle has only accelerated in recent seasons. The introduction of the Impact Player rule has given teams added firepower, allowing them to attack from the outset. A total of 12 scores of 250-plus have been recorded in IPL history, with just one coming before 2020 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 263/5 against Pune Warriors India in 2013, driven by Chris Gayle’s iconic 175.The 2024 season proved particularly brutal for bowlers, with eight totals exceeding 250. Last season saw two such scores, both from Sunrisers Hyderabad — 286/6 against Rajasthan Royals, headlined by a century from Ishan Kishan, and 278/3 against Delhi Capitals, powered by Heinrich Klaasen’s 39-ball 105.Ashwin also flagged key absences ahead of the opener, highlighting the impact of missing frontline Australian quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.“As much as SRH need Pat Cummins, RCB need Josh Hazlewood even more. Hyderabad has a lot of power in this game. When there is even a little bit of seam movement and swing, Josh Hazlewood executes excellently. Even in death, he is a guy from whom everyone can learn. It is not as if he bowls only yorkers under pressure; he bowls the hard lengths, yorkers, mixes it up. Hazlewood is not there for this game, which is a very very big loss for RCB,” Ashwin added.